Stories
Himachal High Alert After Punjab University Unrest, Sukhu Government Directs Security Review
- •Following recent violence and protests at Lovely Professional University and Chitkara University in Punjab, the Sukhu government in Himachal Pradesh has put the state on high alert.
- •A high-level meeting was chaired by Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari in Shimla with vice-chancellors and representatives of 17 private universities to review campus security.
- •Key measures discussed include strict monitoring of entry and exits, hostel security, visitor verification, and mandatory police verification for private security personnel.
- •Universities and police will collaborate to combat drug abuse under the anti-chitta movement and curb the spread of rumors on social media through designated spokespersons.
- •Each university will appoint a nodal security officer to coordinate with district Superintendents of Police, and joint security audits will be conducted to ensure student safety.
Key Questions Answered
Following unrest at Lovely Professional and Chitkara universities in Punjab, the Himachal Pradesh government directed 17 private universities to strengthen campus security. Key measures include monitoring entry and exits, visitor verification, hostel security, police verification and training of private security personnel, joint security audits, and appointing nodal security officers.
Universities and the police are collaborating to increase the active participation of students in the state's anti-chitta (synthetic drugs) mass movement. They plan to work together to curb drug-related activities on campuses and surrounding areas while encouraging students to seek help or report issues immediately.
Each university will coordinate with the police's cybercrime and media cells to prevent rumor-spreading on social media during incidents, and will designate an official spokesperson. Additionally, universities must promote the '112' emergency service and 'Track Me' safety facility among students.
